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5 Generation Bakers expands into a new state-of-the-art facility

When Scott Baker resurrected his family's baking tradition just six
years ago - a tradition dating back to just after the Civil War in Western Pennsylvania - he did so in a leased, three-story building that
was over 100 years old, located in McKees Rocks, a nearby suburb
of Pittsburgh. "It was a nightmare," he recalled. "(We were) trying to
develop an efficient, optimally sanitary production flow, but had walls
and stairways blocking that flow everywhere you looked." As his company, 5 Generation Bakers, which produces Jenny Lee® Swirl Breads
among other products, now settles into its new state-of-the-art facility,
Baker and the 5GB team sat back and reflected on the journey that's
brought the company to such a monumental occasion.
"Our move into a new bakery and investments into tremendously
upgraded production equipment weren't simply because we'd maxed
out the capacity of our former plant," he said. "Rather, it was a combination of factors that included efficiency, consistency and food safety.
But of all these, it was food safety that was our No. 1 priority."

future - because for 5GB, a 'passing' grade was only going to be
the beginning. "Not good enough," she would say. "We're going for
a 'superior' rating."
And on their next inspection, only a year later, that goal was
achieved.

"Our move into a new bakery was a
combination of factors - additional capacity,
efficiency, consistency and food safety. Of all
these, food safety was our No. 1 priority."
- Scott Baker, founder and president of 5 Generation Bakers

Recognizing possible pitfalls posed by the haphazard layout of
the initial facility, the company sought early assistance via third-party audits from the American Institute of Baking. Denice Beccard,
5GB's quality assurance officer, heads up the company's food safety
program and worked with AIB to develop the programs and product
tracking requirements that would permit them to obtain a passing
inspection in just over a year. Having done so, Denice had a basis
upon which to make continual, incremental improvements for the

FROM A SINGLE CUSTOMER TO NEARLY 5,000 RETAIL OUTLETS
AND COUNTING
But the company's meteoric sales and resulting growth to more
than 5,000 locations presented a plethora of new challenges over the
next six years, most notably involving production.
"We are dedicated to small-batch production techniques," said
Bernie Baker, patriarch of the operation. "It's all about quality. Small
batches allow us to rely on old-fashioned fermentation to produce
our products' outstanding flavor and texture, which means we don't
have to use artificial flavors."
But the downside to small-batch production was that it precluded
many automated production techniques. Accordingly, 5GB's growth
was accompanied by a corresponding increase in the number of
production employees who lacked the specific experience necessary
for this type of product's manufacture.
"Training for our growing number of team members is key," said
Al Beccard, director of production at 5GB. "Knowing their specific
job is just half of it; the other part is food safety and sanitation. We
have a very thorough training program for every one of our positions,
whether skilled or unskilled."
The uniqueness of Jenny Lee® products, however, requires more
than training, small-batch production and attention to detail. They
begin with unbromated flour and are made with natural ingredients
to the very end, which provides the clean, simple label their custom-

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of instore - May 2016